It’s hard to believe it’s been more than five years since I first started blogging. What began as a simple promotional vehicle for my first book morphed about three years ago into a broader repository for whatever I was working on, thinking about, or even eating. WordsByNowak.com has at times been a sketchpad, a journal and even a pulpit from which I’ve tried to explore and comment on the ways in which technology affects culture, and vice-versa.
In that vein, I’m very pleased to announce the latest evolution of this journey: AlphaBeatic.com! It’s a new website that builds on what I’ve been doing and that will hopefully go in directions even I’m not expecting.
You’ll notice AlphaBeatic looks more like a news or magazine website than it does a blog, and that’s on purpose. I’ve long been feeling the limitations of simple blogging platforms - first Blogger and then the web-hosted version of WordPress - which is why I’ve now switched to the full version of WordPress. I’m still learning the tools as I go, but I’m pleased so far with its advanced capabilities, flexibility and customization. I’m now able to present my work in what I think is a much more navigable and attractive manner.
Speaking of which… the name. With a new look and direction, I thought it was the perfect time for some new branding. While writing is certainly what I do, I’ve also been thinking recently that the “words” in WordsByNowak is limiting. There are many ways to tell stories in the modern internet era - video, photos, audio podcasts and so on - and I’d like to be open to that. I’m looking forward to trying some of these other methods out soon.
Similarly, I thought the “Nowak” in WordsByNowak was also limiting. With a different brand and some plans for revenue generation, AlphaBeatic may some day open up to other contributors. Stay tuned on that front.
The name itself requires some explanation. AlphaBeatic is literally the result of months of brainstorming; an obvious play on the word “alphabetic,” which simply refers to using an alphabetical system, it has several possible side meanings.
To a journalist, a “beat” is an area or topic of interest, expertise or specialty. Combined with “alpha,” the first letter in the Greek alphabet that can also mean “prime” or “primary,” it’s a way of signalling my hopes for the site - that it becomes a prime destination for anyone interested in the tech-culture beat.
“Alpha” is also a technology term that means a particular piece of software is feature complete and ready for testing, which is an analogy I quite like for what I’m doing. Of course, a beat is also something you can dance to, and dancing is fun, which will be an important element of the site. And lastly, as anyone who has ever tried to think of a business name and especially tried to find a domain name for it, AlphaBeatic.com was available, which made it very attractive.
I’ll be cross-publishing blog posts here on WordsByNowak.com and AlphaBeatic.com for the next few weeks, after which I’ll transition fully over to the new site and eventually point this address there permanently. Please change your bookmarks and feeds as appropriate, and I’ll see you on the other side!
